She walked onto Shark Tank nine months pregnant and nearly broke.
Five years later, PepsiCo bought her company for $1.95 billion.

Meet Allison Ellsworth, the woman who turned a gut health problem into a global soda revolution.

Back then, Allison was working in oil and gas.
Constant travel. Terrible diet. Her gut was in chaos.

So she started taking shots of apple cider vinegar every morning.
It worked — but it tasted awful.

Everyone around her said:
“Stick to your stable job.”
“The market’s too crowded.”
“You’re pregnant — this is a terrible time to start anything.”

She didn’t listen.

Because Allison knew one thing others didn’t:
If she could make apple cider vinegar taste good, everyone else would want it too.

So she got to work — in her kitchen.
Mixing vinegar, fruit juice, and sparkling water.
Her husband, Stephen, rigged up a carbonation line in their Dallas townhouse.
They bottled it and called it Mother Beverage.

In 2016, three months pregnant, she quit her job to sell it at farmers markets.
They almost went broke.
No air conditioning in their car or facility.
Texas heat. Side jobs. Sweat and faith.

But they sold out every single week.

Then — a miracle.
A Whole Foods buyer stumbled upon their stand.
“I don’t do this often,” she said. “But you belong in Whole Foods.”

That one moment flipped the script.

Fast forward to 2018 — Allison auditions for Shark Tank.
Six months of interviews, paperwork, and secrecy.
She films the episode nine months pregnant, gives birth ten days later,
and lands a deal with Rohan Oza: $400,000 for 25%.

Then came the harshest — and best — feedback ever:

“Your branding is ****.”

Instead of folding, Allison rebuilt.
New look. New name. New mission.

Mother Beverage became Poppi — “a new kind of soda for the next generation.”

They relaunched in March 2020 — in the middle of COVID and an aluminum shortage.
Most startups would’ve died there.
Allison hit record. Posted her story on TikTok.

Woke up to $100,000 in Amazon sales overnight.
That video has over 90 million views.
Poppi now has more than 2 billion TikTok views, a Super Bowl ad, and $500 million in annual revenue.
In May 2025, PepsiCo acquired Poppi for $1.95 billion.

All because one woman refused to believe that “healthy” had to taste bad —
or that bad timing meant failure.

She turned a kitchen experiment into an empire.
She proved that criticism can be the start of something legendary.

So ask yourself:
What “crazy” idea are you sitting on?
What “bad timing” are you hiding behind?

Allison built Poppi pregnant, broke, and doubted by everyone.
No funding. No background in beverages. Just conviction.

Sometimes, your worst timing is actually your best opportunity.
Sometimes, your lack of experience is your unfair advantage.

Find your kitchen. Mix your ingredients.
Make your own version of Poppi.

Because the next billion-dollar brand might just be sitting on your counter —
waiting for you to believe it’s possible.

NAFDAC Seizes ₦20.5 Billion Worth of Fake Drugs and Tomato Paste in Rivers State

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has uncovered and seized a massive haul of fake drugs and adulterated tomato paste in Rivers State, estimated to be worth over ₦20.5 billion.

According to officials, the raid which took place after weeks of undercover surveillance targeted warehouses where these fake products were being stored and distributed across the country.

A Shocking Discovery

NAFDAC officials said they found:

Large quantities of counterfeit drugs, some with fake expiry dates

Adulterated tomato paste packaged to look like trusted brands

Expired and unregistered items being sold as safe for use


Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, the agency’s Director-General, called the discovery alarming and dangerous, especially with how easily these products could have ended up in people’s homes.

> “This is more than a business crime—it’s a direct attack on the health and lives of Nigerians,” she said. “People could have died from using these fake drugs or consuming these harmful products.”



What Happens Now?

A few suspects have already been arrested and are being questioned, though their names haven’t been released yet. NAFDAC says this is just one of several planned operations aimed at cleaning up the system and holding those responsible accountable.

They’re also urging Nigerians to be more cautious check expiry dates, buy from trusted sources, and report any suspicious products.

> “We’ve made a huge step today,” said one official on the ground. “But this fight isn’t over. We’ll keep going until every fake product is off the shelves.”

This latest seizure is not just a victory for NAFDAC but a warning to anyone still dealing in fake and dangerous products: the agency is watching and they’re ready to act.

Want to turn your products or services into consistent income — without building a website?

Welcome to YuSocial Marketplace — a trusted platform where vendors like YOU can sell physical products, digital goods, and services to a growing audience of real, active buyers.

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Escrow-protected payments
No tech skills needed
Social exposure + vendor page included

Whether you're selling fashion, food, ebooks, or services like web design — this is your sign to start!

Click here to sign up and create your free business page: https://app.yusocial.com
Or download our Android app: https://bit.ly/getyusocial

#YuSellers #OnlineSellingMadeEasy #MarketplaceAfrica #GetPaidOnline #Escrow

Sell Your Products and Services on the YuSocial Marketplace — Get Started in Minutes!

The YuSocial Marketplace is a fast-growing community-driven platform where buyers discover trusted vendors, products, services, and digital offers with ease.

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Why Sell on YuSocial?

Reach a highly engaged audience looking for what you offer
Enjoy free product listings — no upfront costs
Benefit from secure, escrow-protected transactions
Get more visibility through your business page, group, and posts
Earn YuCoins and tips when customers engage with your content
Access promotions, Spotlight features, and advertising discounts

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How to Get Started:

1. Download the YuSocial app on PlayStore and Sign Up
https://bit.ly/getyusocial
OR use your browser https://app.yusocial.com

2. Set Up Your YuSocial Business Page
• Click on the Pages menu
• Select Create a Page
• Fill in the fields appropriately

3. Add Your Products or Services
• Click on the Market menu and click on the Create Product button
• Upload product images, banners, or cover graphics
• Add title, price, and description
• Indicate delivery or download instructions

4. Promote Your Listings
• Share your product/service links across social media
• Invite followers and encourage reviews
• Join ongoing campaigns and contests for more reach

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What Can You Sell on the Marketplace?

YuSocial supports a wide range of offerings:

Physical Products:
• Fashion (clothes, shoes, bags)
• Beauty & skincare items
• Phones, gadgets, and accessories
• Home & kitchen appliances
• Food (packaged or fresh)
• Books and learning materials
• Handmade or custom items
- Real Estate etc

Productized Services:
• Web design and development packages
• Logo design and branding kits
• Social media management bundles
• SEO, ads, and digital marketing packages
• Photography and video editing services
• Event planning, makeup, and decoration
• Online coaching, tutorials, or consulting

Digital Products:
• eBooks and workbooks
• Online courses and training videos
• Canva templates, presets, and planners
• Design files, mockups, and digital art
• Audio files, music loops, or stock resources

If it can be delivered physically, rendered as a service, or downloaded digitally, you can sell it on YuSocial.

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Need Help?

We can help you set up your YuSocial Business Page and upload your products or services for a token.
Send us a message via our YuSellers Hub page https://yusocial.com/page/yusellershub

Let’s grow your business together — one sale at a time!

Walk with me, let me tell you a karmic story.

A friend of mine, let's call her Uduak, banks with a certain Nigerian bank.

Whenever she goes there to carry out transactions, she dashes money to the police officer and the private security guards on duty. Nothing huge, but enough for them to express their deepest gratitude each time.

One time, Uduak's mother was very sick and in the hospital. As her primary caregiver, Uduak was in charge of buying medication, paying for tests, and other things. One day, she had to pay some medical bills. But there was a problem.

She'd spent so much money that day, that she'd exceeded the daily transaction limit on her account. It was a weekend and the bank was closed. So, she couldn't walk in and increase her transaction limit.

Desperate to take out money and pay for her mother's treatment, Uduak asked one of the security guys, the one she'd known the longest, if her sibling could pay some money into his account and he'd withdraw some of it and give it to her in cash and transfer the remainder into her account.

"No problem, Ma," he replied.

The money was sent - ₦350,000. Mr Security Guard said he hadn't gotten the credit alert. Maybe it was the network. Call and confirm that it was sent. Yes, it was sent. Let's wait, the alert will come. Uduak waited. After some time had passed, Mr Security Guard acknowledged receipt. Then he said he couldn't give her the money.

At first, my friend thought it was a joke. You can't give me the money how? Is this playing? It's in your account. Withdraw some for me, transfer the rest.

"Ah, me I can't do it o," the guy said. "My wife saw the money the moment it entered and she texted me that she has already used it to pay for something."

Uduak nearly went mad. She fell to her knees and begged. For her money.

"Please. Don't do this. That money is for my mother's treatment. She's in the hospital right now. Please. Give me the money."

Mr Security Guard did not budge. The other guards and policeman drew closer and asked what was happening. My friend filled them in. They basically said, "Tor, there's nothing he can do nah. His wife has used it."

At that point, my friend was wailing. What kind of trouble had she gotten herself into? She'd always been nice to them. Why would they do this to her? As she was crying, she overheard them talking, asking the guy if truly his wife had used the money. Yeah, he said she'd used it, but not all.

They said, "If she hasn't used all, you sef, use the remaining to buy beer for us during your child dedication this coming Sunday."

Ahhhh! My friend was weak.

"You're using the money meant for a sick woman to buy things for your baby's dedication? You want to buy beer with it? Why are you doing this? Have I ever offended you?"

Ignoring her, the security guard answered a call. Then he handed the phone to Uduak.

"My wife wants to speak with you."

Uduak collected the phone, hoping she could reason with his spouse, woman to woman. She listened with a rapidly breaking heart as the woman on the other side spoke.

"Madam, there's no need to keep disturbing my husband. I've used the money to buy things for our baby's dedication this coming Sunday."

"You used all my money? Just now now now, you used 350k? Madam, please. That money is meant for my mother's treatment. Please return it. I'm begging you."

"Ha! I said I've used it nah. What do you want me to do?"

My friend burst into fresh tears and pled with her to at least give back something, no matter how small. Grudgingly, Mrs Security Guard said she'd refund some. And that after she sent it, Uduak shouldn't stress them about repaying the rest because they wouldn't be able to do so. Mr Security Guard asked for her account details. Some minutes later, Uduak got a credit alert for ₦100,000.

Wiping her tears, she turned and told that uniformed gang of Yahoo Princes and their Princess, that she was leaving them in the hands of God.

We, her friends, were maaaaaad! What do you mean leave them to God? You better go back and report these 419ners to the bank.. But Uduak was too consumed with caring for her mother to bother.

Days after that incident, Uduak's mother passed away.

A couple of weeks or so later, Mrs Security Guard called her. To ask for forgiveness. For mercy. You see that baby they'd dedicated? Something something happened. The baby fell sick. The baby has died.

Uduak told her she was mourning her mum too and hung up on her.

A few days later, Mr Security Guard called. To say sorry. To ask for forgiveness. Something something happened. His brother has died.

Again, Uduak hung up.

More days passed. Mr Security Guard's colleague, one of the Association of Beer Drinkers, called. To ask her for mercy. Maybe pray for him. Somehow somehow, his mother fell ill after that weekend. Something something happened. His mother has died.

Click. Hang up.

Then the police officer called. She didn't even bother picking the call. Karma was doing a good job already - no need for her to interfere.

Que sera sera. Let what will be, be.

Now she's going to the bank to report them. What they started, she's about to finish. That ₦250,000 they withheld? It's gonna choke them ten ways to Sunday.

~ Eketi Edima Ette

How Ada Is Monetizing Her Community - Pt. 2

After Ada started earning from tips and paid posts on YuSocial, she had a new idea.

She noticed that some of her fans always asked:

“Can you pick my outfits for the weekend?”

“Can I get exclusive access to your shopping list?”

“Can I get first dibs on your thrift finds?”

So Ada decided to create something special on YuSocial:
“Ada’s Secret Style Club”—only for subscribers!

Here’s how she did it:

Step 1: She went to her profile settings and turned on the Subscription feature.

Step 2: She chose a small monthly fee—₦1,000—for her fans to become club members.

Step 3: She marked her exclusive content as “Subscribers Only.” These included:

Her “outfit of the week” breakdowns

Styling tutorials

Behind-the-scenes from her shopping trips

Discount codes from brands she partnered with

Now, instead of buying just one paid post, her fans could subscribe once and get all the goodies every month.

Within a week, Ada got 50 subscribers. That’s ₦50,000 a month—just from sharing what she was already doing.

She also gave her subscribers a bonus:
A monthly fashion Q&A session in a private forum, where she personally helped them with their wardrobe.

The Result?
- Ada’s fans felt like VIPs.
- Ada felt empowered.
- And YuSocial became her home for both community and income.

Want to start monetizing your knowledge and community like Ada?
Download the YuSocial app to get started.

#yusocial #SocialCommerce #communitymonetization #escrow

Ever spent years building a loyal community, only to wonder if you could truly earn from it?

At YuSocial, we believe that community is currency — and creators deserve more than just likes and follows.

Imagine this:
You run a thriving group for a niche audience — maybe it’s about photography, fitness, finance, or even tech.

General conversations and tips happen publicly for free... but when it’s time for exclusive trainings, premium content, or deep-dive sessions, only your paying subscribers or specific group members can access those posts.

Engagements (likes, shares and comments) on your posts earn both you and your members points which you can use to reach more people on the network for free and grow your community faster.

Now, you're not just sharing knowledge — you're building real income streams from the community you’re passionately growing.

And for everyone who buys or sells on YuSocial, our escrow-powered marketplace ensures that every transaction is secure, trusted, and scam-free.

Here, your influence pays off.
Your audience supports you.
Your transactions are protected.

YuSocial is empowering creators to earn from their communities and securing online transactions.

Ready to start earning from your community?

Download the YuSocial app today on PlayStore and get started - https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.yusocial.app

#YuSocial #CreatorEconomy #MonetizeYourCommunity #SocialCommerce #DigitalTrust #Escrow #ContentCreators

YuSocial empowers creators to monetize their communities through tips, subscriptions, and paid content — while offering a secure, escrow-backed marketplace where buyers and sellers can trade.

Which of these slogans do you prefer?

Stop Wasting Your Money To Buy Painkillers, Use These Herbs To Ease Headache https://sharpnews.ng/stop-wasting-your-money-to-buy-painkillers-use-these-herbs-to-ease-headache/

Friends, celebrate with us as we finally have the YuSocial app live on Google PlayStore after several months of setbacks plus back and forth.

You can download it here - https://bit.ly/getyusocial

If you have an older version, please uninstall it and install this new one.

With this update, you can:
1. Grow your fan base and earn from post views, engagements (Likes and Comments), tips, subscriptions, paid posts/messaging and more.

2. Easily get notified when someone visits your profile

3. Get free traffic to your posts, products and services even if you don't have a large fan base.

4. Use your earned points from your activities to boost your posts and reach more people who are not following you on the network.

5. Buy and Sell (digital/physical products) with confidence on the YuSocial Marketplace using our escrow system

6. Invite referrals and earn commissions anytime they subscribe to any of our services.

If you want to do more than just scroll, connect meaningfully, share knowledge, and grow your business or brand, download the YuSocial app and start making the most of your social media engagement.

See you inside!

The Hidden Dangers of Expired Medications: Are You Putting Your Health at Risk?

Have you ever reached for a pill bottle, noticed it expired a year ago, and thought, It’s probably still fine? If so, you’re not alone. Many people believe that expiration dates on medications are just a formality. However, using expired drugs can have serious consequences, from reduced effectiveness to life-threatening reactions.

What Happens When Medications Expire?

Medication expiration dates are not just random numbers; they indicate the period during which a drug is guaranteed to be safe and effective. Once a drug expires, several things can happen:

Loss of Potency: Many medications lose their effectiveness over time. For instance, antibiotics like amoxicillin may no longer fight infections properly, leading to antibiotic resistance.

Toxic Breakdown: Some medications break down into harmful substances when they expire. One well-known example is tetracycline, an antibiotic that can become toxic and cause kidney damage after expiration.

Changes in Composition: Liquid medications, such as syrups and eye drops, can develop bacteria and fungi, making them unsafe to use.


The Most Dangerous Expired Medications

While some expired drugs may simply be ineffective, others can be outright dangerous. Be especially cautious with:

Antibiotics – Expired antibiotics may not work effectively, allowing infections to worsen or mutate into drug-resistant strains.

Insulin – Diabetics relying on expired insulin risk uncontrolled blood sugar levels, which can be life-threatening.

Nitroglycerin (for heart conditions) – This drug loses potency over time, which could result in a fatal heart attack if ineffective during an emergency.

Epinephrine (used for severe allergic reactions) – An expired EpiPen may not work fast enough to stop anaphylaxis, putting lives at risk.


The Risks of Self-Medicating with Expired Drugs

Many people in Nigeria and around the world avoid visiting hospitals, relying instead on leftover or expired medication. This habit is extremely risky because:

You may take the wrong drug for your condition.

Expired drugs may not work, leading to worsening illness.

Some expired drugs become toxic and could cause severe side effects.


What Should You Do with Expired Medications?

Check expiration dates regularly – Go through your medicine cabinet at least twice a year and discard expired drugs.

Dispose of medications safely – Do not flush them down the toilet (to prevent water contamination). Instead, take them to a pharmacy or wrap them in a sealed bag before throwing them away.

Avoid stockpiling drugs – Only buy what you need and use prescriptions as directed.


Final Thoughts

When it comes to expired medications, the rule is simple: When in doubt, throw it out. Your health is too important to gamble on outdated drugs. Always consult a healthcare professional before taking any medication—expired or not.

In today’s digital world, content isn’t just king—it’s currency.

It’s how your business gets discovered, remembered, and chosen.

The brands that win aren’t just creating content—they’re buying mindshare.
By consistently delivering value, they become the go-to authority in their industry, attracting customers effortlessly instead of chasing them.

Every piece of content you publish is an investment in your brand’s future.

So ask yourself:
Are you creating the content that shapes your industry… or just consuming what others put out?

PS: Looking for a platform where you can connect, sell, and grow—all in one place?
YuSocial blends social networking with secure commerce, making it easier than ever to reach customers and close deals.

Don’t miss out—sign up today!

#YuSocial #socialcommerce #business